Small Businesses in NYC Struggling with $15 Minimum Wage

[Dekster]

Typical BS pulled directly from your always ignorant ass. Many worked overtime or 2 jobs and most Americans lived far simpler lives.That is $65/wk which conflicts BIGLY with your previous post claiming $30 - $40/wk.

The prob with mindless leftards like you is that you can never understand how 2+2=4.

What he says is true. Even in L.A. County, California you could make it on a buck, a buck and a quarter an hour and have an apartment and own a car in the early '60's. Guys living with their parents after turning 19 or 20 were ridiculed unless they were going to college. It's the inequality of wealth index we have now, and it's getting worse as far as I can see.

Wealth inequity has nothing to do with it. If we took every single dollar from every rich person in this country, it won't benefit you one bit. It will just make government richer.

If the wealthy paid living wages to their workers, government income supports wouldn’t be necessary. The working poor wouldn’t get all of the free stuff you hate so much.

Workers are never happy. They used to get to live in a company house and shop at the company store and they complained about that too.

Yes because the company charged high rents for those company houses and high prices in the company store. Often they paid workers in company currency so their wages wouldn’t buy anything the company didn’t sell them.

Try listen to the lyrics to “Sixteen Tons” sometime. “I owe my soul to the Company Store”.

The company store, Amazon. what difference does it make? Americans are too fat anyway.

 

[Dekster]

Workers are never happy. They used to get to live in a company house and shop at the company store and they complained about that too.[/QUO

Workers are never happy? Yea...screw em...why pay em anything then right?

And that who "company store" thing was pretty fucked up

money aint worth nuthin anyway. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been so easy to replace with electrons in a computer and plastic cards. In fact, I am guessing most people have more plastic cards than the top 1%, so in that sense, the bottom 90% are much wealthier.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

not as much as $25 today. NOPE no one could support a FAMILY back then on $40 per week except in real poverty----like no car----probably no phone, ---
maybe a three room apartment ---low end. $25 per hour-----at 40 hours is
$1000 per week for a teenager slinging burgers. why bother to stay in school? anyone got a job for me?

The problem is that very few teenage boys are slinging burgers. It's mostly young single moms with children to support. The average age of minimum wage workers is 27. $1000 per week translates to $750 per week take home, less $200 per week for child care, taking it down to $550 per week, net, after expenses, and our worker still doesn't have healthcare insurance for him/herself or any children they may be supporting. I don't know what rents are like where you live, but where I live, you can't find any apartment much under $800 per month, plus utilities, Much one big enough for a parent and child. Anything family size is over $1000 plus utilities, unless you can get into goverment owned, geared to income housing. The waiting list is currently two years here.

So really, by the time a single mother pays for withholding and taxes, child care, and rent, exactly how much of that glorious $1000 per week, is he or she going to have left, to cover food, clothing, school supplies, transportation, health care, and we're not talking luxury living here Rosie.

Every dollar this worker gets from government income supports costs taxpayers at least $1.25 to collect, process and pay out. Each dollar this employer gives their workers costs the employer $0.78, and the taxpayers $0.22, So, it's a whole lot cheaper for taxpayers to pay a slightly higher price for their goods and services, and lower taxes overall, with the added benefit that it cuts the size of government overall. Since, as you pointed out, the rich pay most of the taxes, they'll get most of the tax savings, thereby further reducing their net cost on the raises. Increasing the money going into the pockets of working Americans will enable them to spend and save, as they were able to do before Reagan changed the tax code, while providing stimulus to the economy by putting more money in the pockets of hard working Americans.

It's time for the rising tide of American prosperity to lift the dinghys as well as the yachts, because these people cannot bail fast enough right now.

you have no idea what is REALLY going on. I do-----I was once a single mom supporting a kid on virtually nothing. When I was a child----my mom faced that situation for a few years-----but not with one kid-----FIVE. The single working mother is an issue of SOCIAL dissolution-------I have known people from southeast asia who cannot UNDERSTAND how it happens in American families that a woman is so abandoned by her own family. It is a social issue based on our culture of
INDIVIDUALISM. One of the ladies who was so horrified by this American
phenomenon was a psychiatrist educated as a physician in India and in the US training as a psychiatrist. Her question "how does her mother and sibs IMAGINE she is going to recover if she has to go out----get a job ----and find a place to live and care for her child with NO HELP? No society can care for the
DETRITUS of the social system with BIG SALARIES for -----for viturally no economically viable contribution

My father died when I was eleven years old. My mother raised two children on a widow's pension, and working as a caregiver for the five children of the registered nurse who lived around the corner. I got a paper route so I could have spending money to go to a movie. I was also a single mother of two toddler age children with a deadbeat dad after my first marriage ended. I know all to well how it works.

But your solution is to wring your hands and moan about how grandma and grandpa aren't pulling their weight in poor families, and helping out their kids. That's because grandma and grandpa aren't doing so well either and are probably still working to support themselves. Or worse. Life expectancy in poor neighbourhoods, where access to health care is free clinics and emergency rooms, is on a par with Third World shithole countries. Statistically, minorities receive inferior health care to white Americans and have higher death rates.

And then you have a criminal justice system which criminalizes young non-white males at much higher rates than young white males facing similar charges, sending larger numbers of them to prisons, so both ecoomically and socially, there are good and valid reasons why your Asian model is at best, an unrealistic idea.

Our justice system doesn't sweep people off the street and throw them in prison. If you want to stay out of prison, don't break any laws. Believe it or not, most people (including many minorities) live their life that way.

Our criminal laws are archaic. We have 2.5 million in jail, most non violent offenders. The highest percentage in the world.

Most countries find other ways to deal with drug and non violent offenders than incarceration

We now have for profit prisons with an incentive to keep them locked up

Yes, that old leftist wives tale. I have news for you, and that is we are pretty much out of prison space. Many judges are pressured into letting violent criminals go on house arrest or probation because there simply isn't enough room. In some cases they go out and commit more serious crimes.

Wanna do something about those non-violent offenders? Support Trump and the Republicans building a wall. Most of the heroin in the US comes over that Mexican border with Democrat blessings.

 

[pknopp]

We have 3.7 percent unemployment

And $15/hour is not the standard minimum wage...dumbass.

Ya think?

Minimum wage workers are about 3 percent of the workforce. Cutting minimum wage workers will have minimal effect

If you own a business and want to sweep your own floors and clean your own toilets....you can

Sigh...logic and common sense certainly in not in your wheelhouse. About 42% of workers in the US make $15/hour or less.

After paying for shelter, food, clothing, transportation, insurance (health care in particular), taxes and fees, $15 dollars and hour is slavery***.

The future is bleak, for when a charismatic leader organizes the vast majority of the 42%, a General Strike is in our future. The systemic problem is a product of greed coupled with a callous disregard for those who struggle to make ends meet.

Socialism did not create the chaos in Venezuela, corruption by the power elite's and political leader's fiscally irresponsible behavior and personal greed have done so.

***SAYIT's comment in the post above is an example of callous conservatism, total disregard for the problems of the working poor, and blaming them as if they are all lazy and irresponsible.

Socialism has NEVER WORKED ANYWHERE.

$15 an hour is a lot of money for entry level jobs. Minimum wage is not supposed to be for adults raising a family. It's for people entering the workforce at entry level. People are supposed to work their way into better paying jobs.

With two parent families and each of them earning $12-16 an hour that equates to $24-32 an hour. That's decent money and enough to raise a family on. A minimum wage of 15 just lowers wages for everyone. Fewer jobs and less earnings.

How do negotiations work?

 

[danielpalos]

Well that's shocking.

Lets raise the minimum wage to $1,500 an hour maybe that will work.

Why do you waste your time posting such a stupid comment? Are you that desperate for attention?

To mock your side, I thought that was obvious. Mission accomplished!

Mocking requires thought, you don't qualify.

Give us a real number will you? Exactly how much exactly should people minimumly earn? Is $15 an hour the line? Would you be satisfied with that and no more?

it is a simple cost of living adjustment. besides, social services cost the equivalent to fourteen dollars an hour.

 

[danielpalos]

Who cares if business fails simply Because the can only make a profit on Cheap Labor.

So would you frequent an establishment that charge 20%-25% more and doesn’t have discounts and sales because they pay their employees over $18 an hour?

we already have metrics from the restaurant sector. you are just making up drama.

 

[Grace Is Stoked]

In my personal opinion minimum wages are a bit unrealistic. For the most part if all depends on where you live, the cost of living, your circumstances, your expenses, and other contributing factors. A private business should in theory be able to pay its employees whatever wage they choose to pay them based on their business model and vision. Most likely a business owner or company will ultimately find a wage range suitable for their business based on its ability to find good talent, hire and then keep that talent.

 

[danielpalos]

Lets raise the minimum wage to $1,500 an hour maybe that will work.

And we get the dishonest absurdist argument from the people who would prefer slave wages for "them"

I prefer having supply & demand determine wages. I prefer our central gov't stay out of domestic (state and municipal) issues. I prefer that whiny, sniveling, bleeding-heart dimwits refrain from screwing up what is the best economy and the best economic system.

In short, I prefer that ignorant, dimwitted leftards just STFU and stop trying to destroy what generations of Americans have sacrificed so much to build and defend.

View attachment 273457

lol. Government solves all problems for the right wing. Tariffs, anyone?

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

$1.25 in the 1950s was equivalent to $ 25 today ??? in what universe.

Sounds about right. Workers in the 1950s earned $30-$40 a week. They supported families on that wage with one salary. $1.25 bought you a lot

Typical BS pulled directly from your always ignorant ass. Many worked overtime or 2 jobs and most Americans lived far simpler lives.

Average family income in 1950 was $3,300 a year
Income of Families and Persons in the United States: 1950

That is $65/wk which conflicts BIGLY with your previous post claiming $30 - $40/wk.

The prob with mindless leftards like you is that you can never understand how 2+2=4.

What he says is true. Even in L.A. County, California you could make it on a buck, a buck and a quarter an hour and have an apartment and own a car in the early '60's. Guys living with their parents after turning 19 or 20 were ridiculed unless they were going to college. It's the inequality of wealth index we have now, and it's getting worse as far as I can see.

Wealth inequity has nothing to do with it. If we took every single dollar from every rich person in this country, it won't benefit you one bit. It will just make government richer.

If the wealthy paid living wages to their workers, government income supports wouldn’t be necessary. The working poor wouldn’t get all of the free stuff you hate so much.

You sit in your little shack up in Canada thinking you have all the solutions. I work in industry every day. Many of our customers use temporary employment services. Most of the workers are on welfare. They don't want a full time job because more income would eliminate them from the qualifications to get on social programs. With temp services, you can work as much or as little as desired, so you can continue getting your freebies.

What social programs do is discourage people from getting ahead in life, seeking and finding opportunities, and benefiting their family and society (taxpayers) in general. When these companies I speak of get busy, they ask their temp employees if they can work more hours? Most of them refuse because more income just gets deducted from their government stipend. For them, it's like working for free.

Outside of mental or physical disabilities, there is no reason anybody (especially younger people) to not be working or working less than 40 hours a week. Every industrial area I drive to are littered with HELP WANTED signs, and have been for the last several years, even when Ears was President.

 

[danielpalos]

In my personal opinion minimum wages are a bit unrealistic. For the most part if all depends on where you live, the cost of living, your circumstances, your expenses, and other contributing factors. A private business should in theory be able to pay its employees whatever wage they choose to pay them based on their business model and vision. Most likely a business owner or company will ultimately find a wage range suitable for their business based on its ability to find good talent, hire and then keep that talent.

talk about unrealistic.

Business should fail if they can Only make it on cheap labor. A first world economy costs and we cannot afford to compete with the third world on labor costs.

 

[Thinker101]

And $15/hour is not the standard minimum wage...dumbass.

Ya think?

Minimum wage workers are about 3 percent of the workforce. Cutting minimum wage workers will have minimal effect

If you own a business and want to sweep your own floors and clean your own toilets....you can

Sigh...logic and common sense certainly in not in your wheelhouse. About 42% of workers in the US make $15/hour or less.

After paying for shelter, food, clothing, transportation, insurance (health care in particular), taxes and fees, $15 dollars and hour is slavery***.

The future is bleak, for when a charismatic leader organizes the vast majority of the 42%, a General Strike is in our future. The systemic problem is a product of greed coupled with a callous disregard for those who struggle to make ends meet.

Socialism did not create the chaos in Venezuela, corruption by the power elite's and political leader's fiscally irresponsible behavior and personal greed have done so.

***SAYIT's comment in the post above is an example of callous conservatism, total disregard for the problems of the working poor, and blaming them as if they are all lazy and irresponsible.

Socialism has NEVER WORKED ANYWHERE.

$15 an hour is a lot of money for entry level jobs. Minimum wage is not supposed to be for adults raising a family. It's for people entering the workforce at entry level. People are supposed to work their way into better paying jobs.

With two parent families and each of them earning $12-16 an hour that equates to $24-32 an hour. That's decent money and enough to raise a family on. A minimum wage of 15 just lowers wages for everyone. Fewer jobs and less earnings.

"Socialism has NEVER WORKED ANYWHERE. "

Is Sweden socialist?

How can this be explained in words you can understand...NO ITS NOT.

 

[Grace Is Stoked]

In my personal opinion minimum wages are a bit unrealistic. For the most part if all depends on where you live, the cost of living, your circumstances, your expenses, and other contributing factors. A private business should in theory be able to pay its employees whatever wage they choose to pay them based on their business model and vision. Most likely a business owner or company will ultimately find a wage range suitable for their business based on its ability to find good talent, hire and then keep that talent.

talk about unrealistic.

Business should fail if they can Only make it on cheap labor. A first world economy costs and we cannot afford to compete with the third world on labor costs.

A business will fail if they can't keep good labor. If a business is unwilling to pay a decent wage to its workers then ultimately that business could easily fail. The owner will either understand that and learn from that and figure out a balanced wage that satisfies the employees in a reasonable way and also keeps the business healthy and making a profit or that business won't. If they choose to continue to pay extremely low wages to their employees then they will ultimately lose employees and struggle. At the end of the day it's my belief that it's the owners choice though.

 

[Missouri_Mike]

In my personal opinion minimum wages are a bit unrealistic. For the most part if all depends on where you live, the cost of living, your circumstances, your expenses, and other contributing factors. A private business should in theory be able to pay its employees whatever wage they choose to pay them based on their business model and vision. Most likely a business owner or company will ultimately find a wage range suitable for their business based on its ability to find good talent, hire and then keep that talent.

And if they can’t find employees for that price they offer more. It would almost be like a market solution taking care of itself.

Democrats hate that.

 

[Dragonlady]

Well that's shocking.

Lets raise the minimum wage to $1,500 an hour maybe that will work.

Why do you waste your time posting such a stupid comment? Are you that desperate for attention?

To mock your side, I thought that was obvious. Mission accomplished!

Abject failure you mean. All you cons have demonstrated in this thread is your utter failure to grasp even simple economic concepts.

Economics isn’t rocket science you know. Just ask Dumber than your Average Bear. No it’s way more complex than just blowing shit up in a productive way.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

And if they can’t find employees for that price they offer more.

Or they will hire foreigners who are willing to work for nothing and live in a two bedroom house with seven other people.

 

[Paulie]

It isn't just small businesses and it has nothing to do with the Minimum Wage.

Uh, if you read the article, you'll find out that new minimum wage does have something to do with it. Have you read any of the zillion studies that document the harmful effects of an excessive minimum wage?

Liberals don’t read studies. They go on feelings.

 

[Dekster]

It isn't just small businesses and it has nothing to do with the Minimum Wage.

Uh, if you read the article, you'll find out that new minimum wage does have something to do with it. Have you read any of the zillion studies that document the harmful effects of an excessive minimum wage?

Liberals don’t read studies. They go on feelings.

Apparently you must be Elizabeth Warren then.

 

[Grace Is Stoked]

And if they can’t find employees for that price they offer more.

Or they will hire foreigners who are willing to work for nothing and live in a two bedroom house with seven other people.

That unfortunately becomes an ethical issue for the owner and a governmental issue regarding work visas in my opinion. You would hope that a small business owner would want to do what's best for their employees, take an interest and concern for their well being, and do the right thing, but obviously many do not and will do exactly what you said above. It then becomes an issue for government in that the topic of limitations on work visas come into play as well as heavy fines or legal action if they are employing illegal workers. The sad thing is that there is always going to be someone that is hurt either way and it's typically going to be the worker.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

Fifteen bucks for an hour of a persons life seems reasonable.

It does? Then start your own company and pay people by how much you think an hour of their life is worth, and see how long you stay in business.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

And, of course, liberals never bother to ask, "What if a given job is *not* worth $15 per hour?" Hey? What if the job is so basic and easy that it's not worth paying someone $15 per hour to do? Do liberals just think that all businesses have money trees?

Do you think the CEO of Boeing was worth what he got?

If he wasn't, he wouldn't have received that pay.